Nascar Fans Shift Gears

Recession put brakes on 2008 race attendance, and outlook for 2009 season is even more bleak

November 16, 2008|By Sarah Talalay Staff Writer

In past years, the NASCAR-themed Chit Chat's Bar in Pompano Beach would be nearly empty on the day the stock car racing circuit holds its season finale in Homestead.

Not this year. Today, it should be teeming with fans watching driver Jimmie Johnson's historic bid for a third consecutive Sprint Cup championship. That's because a number of fans say they can't afford the race tickets or the hotel rooms, many of which require a three- or four-night stay.

"I'll probably sit right here," said Mike Cales, a lifelong NASCAR fan, nursing a $10 bucket of beers and watching last Sunday's race in Phoenix on television. Cales, of Pompano Beach, services and repairs irrigation systems, and these days he's only pulling in about $100 a day, down from his typical $500. That means he hasn't been to any races this year, when he typically attends three, including Homestead.

For years, the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing has been among the fastest growing sports, but the economic meltdown has hit the sport hard. And many fans are being caught between the rising costs of attending races and economic uncertainty.

Stock car racing is rooted in the blue collar South, which still supplies 40 percent of its fan base. And according to NASCAR more than half of its fans earn $50,000 or less. Costs for race attendance have gone up steadily in recent years. For example, an RV parking pass that once cost $500 a weekend, now runs as much as $2,800.

The sport is even getting rich for corporate sponsors, some of which are reducing or ending their involvement.

For both fans and sponsors, NASCAR can be a big committment. The circuit includes 36 top tier races over 10 months in 19 states, more than other types of auto racing.

The average fan travels 250 miles to a race. But more are staying home - TV ratings are up this year, after a drop last season - especially after gas spiked to more than $4 a gallon in June.

Average attendance has dropped nearly 10 percent this year. A race at Atlanta Motor Speedway last month drew about 80,000 fans, a drop of 20,000 from last year, media reports said.

"In Atlanta, there were so many empty seats, it was a quarter empty," said Sheila Wilson, of Boynton Beach, who attends races with boyfriend Craig Ford of Crystal River. "The Chicago race, it used to be packed."

Ford estimates it can cost $1,000 to attend a race weekend. So he's going to fewer races, or he'll only go on Sundays. Ford and Wilson will be at Homestead today, but Wilson's sister Debra Hafemann, also of Boynton Beach, sold her Homestead season tickets in part because hotel rooms in the Keys shot up in price.

"I was planning to go, I just couldn't get the money together," said Hafemann. "The economy and all that."

The 65,000-seat grandstand at today's Ford 400 should be full, but selling tickets has been hard. Two years ago, the finale sold out in June. Last year, it sold out in early October. This year tickets for today's finale, which started at $55, were still available last week.

The track offered fans a break on tickets this year for the first time, allowing them to pay in two installments, and threw in a gas card with some ticket packages.

"Attendance is down at most NASCAR races this year," explained Homestead-Miami Speedway President Curtis Gray. "We're feeling the effects like everybody else."

Gray said the track decided this year against holding a charity golf tournament as it has for the past two years. "We're concerned about being able to get enough sponsors," Gray said. "You risk not breaking even on a charity event. ... We'll be looking at bringing it back next year."

Companies pay more than $20 million a year to sponsor race teams and put their logos on cars. But corporations are facing difficult choices. While NASCAR was thrilled to tout its new partnership with Camping World, which agreed last month to title sponsor NASCAR's truck series, other sponsors are conserving cash.

Next year, for example, Delray Beach-based Office Depot will split primary sponsorship of Tony Stewart's car with Old Spice, saving the company millions of dollars. "I think everybody is always looking to be cost-effective in how they do partnerships of any kind," said Jay Gooch, spokesman for Old Spice. "It makes them look at alternate models."

Fans, too, are considering alternatives.

"I have several people asking if I'm going to do something at the bar," said Chit Chat's owner Sherry Palmer, who held her last NASCAR party of the season last Sunday, arranging a buffet and raffles for NASCAR T-shirts, hats and other gear. She sold her tickets to Homestead, but may decide to go at the last minute. Either way, she's expecting a full house at the bar.

Sarah Talalay can be reached at stalalay@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4173.